Fox & Friends' Carlson falsely claimed Geithner "kind of put the blame a little bit on a computer program" for tax failure

Summary: On Fox & Friends, Gretchen Carlson asserted that in answering questions about his failure to pay social security taxes several years ago, Treasury Secretary nominee Tim Geithner "kind of put the blame a little bit on a computer program." In fact, at his hearing, Geithner mentioned the tax software he used only after he was asked which brand he used to file his taxes.

During the January 22 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Gretchen Carlson asserted that in answering questions about his failure to pay social security taxes several years ago, Treasury Secretary nominee Tim Geithner "kind of put the blame a little bit on a computer program." But Carlson's assertion was contradicted by the video clip of Geithner's January 21 Senate confirmation hearing that she aired following her comments, in which Geithner is shown stating: "I want to say these are my responsibility, not the tax software responsibility. But I use TurboTax to prepare my returns." Moreover, as the full exchange -- of which Fox & Friends aired only a part -- makes clear, Geithner mentioned the tax software only after he was asked by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) whether he "use[d] software to prepare" his "2001 and 2002 tax returns." After Geithner responded, "I did," Grassley asked, "Which brand did you use?" Geithner then responded, "I'll answer that question, sir, but I want to say these are my responsibility, not the tax software responsibility. But I use TurboTax to prepare my returns."

In contrast to Fox & Friends, the Los Angeles Times' Johanna Neuman wrote in a January 21 blog post titled, "Timothy Geithner: Blame me, not TurboTax," that Geithner "seemed reluctant to name names."

From the January 21 Senate Finance Committee hearing:

GRASSLEY: Given that the staff and media reports raised significant questions about your late payment of self-employment taxes, I think it's important to set the record straight before we proceed. As a result, I appreciate responses to the following questions. These questions I hope elicit short answers since you've been very clear in your opening statement and answer to Senator [Max] Baucus [D-MT].

Were you liable for self-employment taxes on your IMF [International Monetary Fund] income from 2001 through 2004?

GEITHNER: Yes.

GRASSLEY: Did you submit an application for tax allowances for your income and self-employment taxes for the years 2001 through 2004?

GEITHNER: I did.

GRASSLEY: Did you sign these applications that included a certification that you would pay the taxes that you received allowances for?

GEITHNER: I did. Yes.

GRASSLEY: OK. Did you receive checks for the tax allowances you applied for?

GEITHNER: The -- yes.

GRASSLEY: OK. Did you receive statements with these checks that indicated the amount of the allowance that should be used for income and self-employment taxes? If yes, why did you remit your income taxes but not your self-employment taxes? Only if you want to add to what you said to Senator Baucus.

GEITHNER: I did not and I should have. I mistakenly believed that I was meeting my obligations fully, including self-employment taxes, but I did not prepare my returns in a way that caught that mistake initially.

GRASSLEY: Did you use software to prepare your 2001 and 2002 tax returns?

GEITHNER: I did.

GRASSLEY: You did not?

GEITHNER: I did.

GRASSLEY: Oh, you did, OK. Which brand did you use?

GEITHNER: I'm going to -- I'll answer that question, sir, but I want to say these are my responsibility, not the tax software responsibility.

GRASSLEY: OK.

GEITHNER: But I use TurboTax to prepare my returns.

GRASSLEY: Did the software prompt you to report income and pay self-employment taxes on your IMF income?

GEITHNER: Not to my recollection, Senator.

GRASSLEY: If yes -- well, "not to your recollection." Well, I thank you for answering those questions.

From the January 22 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

CARLSON: Tim Geithner isn't missing 'cause he was in front of the Senate Finance Committee yesterday. You know who this guy is? He's the one who wants to be Treasury secretary, and it seemed to be smooth, smooth, smooth sailing until they found out he hadn't paid $34,000 in taxes back in the early 2000s. He's now paid those, and he's also apologizing. And for a moment yesterday, he kind of put the blame a little bit on a computer program. Listen.

[begin video clip]

GEITHNER [video clip]: I'm going to -- I'll answer that question, sir, but I want to say these are my responsibility, not the tax software responsibility.

GRASSLEY: OK.

GEITHNER: But I use TurboTax to prepare my returns.

[end video clip]

CARLSON: It's an endorsement of TurboTax, really.

STEVE DOOCY (co-host): Well, then, Charles Grassley, the senator from Iowa, said, "So did TurboTax pop up with the little box that said you need to pay taxes?" And he said, no, I really don't remember that part. But, effectively, he said, you know what? I didn't pay it. And it was a big mistake.

And effectively, he was throwing himself on the mercy of the Senate for confirmation. Everybody thinks he's going to wind up getting the job because he's the guy Barack Obama says is uniquely qualified for it, and if Barack Obama was facing these staggering financial problems, thinks that this is the guy, looks like he's going to get a pass.

—E.H.H.

Source: http://mediamatters.org/items/200901220005?f=h_popular

The Pritikin Edge: 10 Essential Ingredients for a Long and Delicious Life

The Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa has been a favored retreat for the wealthy and famous who need to shed weight and control cardiovascular conditions since 1975. The Pritikin Program is a diet and exercise regime that has evolved over the last 50 years based on founder Nathan Pritikin’s successful efforts to rehabilitate himself after he received a heart disease diagnosis.

The Pritikin Edge: 10 Essential Ingredients for a Long and Delicious Life (Simon & Schuster, $25) provides an excellent summary of the Pritikin approach. The program’s 10 principles will not surprise anyone: eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains; avoid fast-food restaurants and high-calorie beverages; be vigilant about portion control; don’t smoke and eliminate stress. It is standard wellness boilerplate, but it will work if you are following the guidelines.

The Pritikin diet, like its even-more austere cousin advocated by Dean Ornish, strives to limit fat consumption to control blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as prevent atherosclerosis. Its effectiveness has been documented in more than 100 scientific students. Authors Dr. Robert Vogel and Paul Tager Lehr are particularly critical of the current fascination with olive oil, claiming canola oil is a much better choice. They also consider use of the glycemic index for measuring carbohydrates to be nonsense.

The book also includes recipes, photo-illustrated exercises, sample menus and answers to frequently asked questions.

— Steve Jacob

Source:

http://www.star-telegram.com/health/story/1112811.html

Leigh Teixeira Convinced Her Husband Mark to Wear Pinstripes

Posted Jan 7th 2009 1:45PM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Red Sox, Yankees, AL East, MLB Gossip

After being introduced as the newest member of the Yankees, Mark Teixeira revealed to reporters how he was able to make up his mind: by listening to his wife:

"We were really waiting for teams to drop out," Teixeira said. "I said to Leigh, we were sitting at dinner, 'Everything's equal. Where would you want to play?' Finally, she broke down and said, 'I want you to be a Yankee.' That's what did it for me."

Smart man: life is a lot easier when you keep the missus happy. Up until that point, the Yankees were lingering in the background while the Red Sox positioned themselves as the favorite, but once Teixeira told Scott Boras to revive talks, a deal was struck within 11 days.

It's an amusing anecdote ... unless you're a member of Red Sox Nation. Leigh admitted her preference on Dec. 12; Red Sox owner John Henry, president Larry Lucchino and GM Theo Epstein made their trip to Texas on Dec. 18. Had they known they were suddenly the underdogs and not the favorites about to seal the deal, it's likely they would have re-considered the trip.

In hindsight, the trip did prove fruitful, at least from Teixeira's perspective: Boston's final offer provided the leverage Teixeira needed for the Yankees to step up with the highest offer on the table a week later, making Mark and (more importantly, for his sake) Leigh one happy couple.

Source:
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/01/07/leigh-teixeira-convinced-her-husband-mark-to-wear-pinstripes/

How to get a flat tummy in four days

By Daily Mail Reporter

Yesterday the Mail brought you the first part of our exclusive two-day Flat Belly Diet series, a scientifically-proven programme that promises to help you lose up to 7lb and more than five inches in just FOUR DAYS.

The super-fast anti-bloat programme promises a thinner, lighter you in days by abolishing the foods, drinks and triggers that lead to a post-Christmas paunch.

Today, we explain how stress, emotions and sleep patterns each contribute to bloating and bring you day three and four of our meal planners...

Banish 'emotional' eating: Here's how to think your way to a better body

The four-day Anti-Bloat diet has been created for the very specific purpose of eliminating wind, excess fluid and bulky foods which are hard to digest. Providing you follow the daily menus, you should soon look and feel lighter. But there are also several lifestyle factors you need to be aware of. . .

STRESS

Stress triggers a complex sequence of hormonal fluctuations that raise blood pressure and divert blood to your extremities.

This 'fight or flight' process allows you to run faster or lift more weight, but it also causes your digestive system to slow down, which means your last meal may hang around in your intestine, causing bloating.

One of the best ways to help keep stress at bay is to get moving - every day.

More...

• Part one: Banish that belly: How to get a flat tummy in four days

Studies show that just ten minutes of physical activity will help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the bloodstream.

Cortisol has been shown to increase appetite and induces cravings for sugar and fat - which is why, when you're stressed, you're more likely to reach for a tub of ice-cream than a nice, crisp apple.

Exercise also triggers the brain to produce beta-endorphins, chemicals that calm you down. So next time you feel like screaming or reaching for the crisps, take a bike ride or a walk.

LACK OF FLUID

You need about eight glasses of water a day - more if you're active.

Drinking water and eating 'watery' foods such as melon helps to ward off fatigue, maintain your body's fluid balance and guard against water retention and constipation.

During this diet, be sure to drink two litres of our Sassy Water (see below) every day.

Avoid gassy drinks and acidic beverages such as coffee, tea and fruit juices, all of which can irritate your gut and cause bloating. Substitute these with cups of herbal tea.

TO SLEEP BETTER

• Slip on some socks. The instant warm-up widens blood vessels and allows your body to transfer heat from its core to the extremities, cooling you slightly. This induces sleep, says Dr Phyllis Zee, director of sleep disorders at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in the U.S.

• Stick to a schedule. People who follow regular daily routines report fewer sleep problems than those with more unpredictable lifestyles, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Recurring time cues - such as a regular bed time - will synchronise your body rhythms.

• Turn off the lights. Any light will signal the brain to wake up, but 'blue light' from your mobile phone or your clock's digital display is the worst offender.

• Walk more. As well as helping to control stress, it will also help you to get a sound night's sleep.

For more tips, take a look at the British Sleep Society's website at www.sleeping.org.uk

CONQUER EMOTIONAL EATING

Physiologically speaking, your appetite is controlled by biochemical signals that tell your brain when you're full up. The problem is, we've all learned to override those signals.

We eat not only when we're hungry but also when we're happy or sad, relaxed or anxious.

To get a handle on emotional eating, you need to understand why you do it.

For one thing, many of us have been conditioned to believe that food can bring comfort (remember getting a lollipop after an injection at the doctor's?). And it does, at least in the short term.

As adults, many of us turn to food to relieve stress. Snacking is a common response to boredom, anxiety, anger and, yes, loneliness.

Many of us have to relearn what actual hunger feels like. Although we often don't recognise it, the line between emotional hunger and true hunger is quite clear.

U.S. research has found five ways to differentiate between the two:

1 Hunger is felt below the neck (growling stomach), while emotional hunger is felt above the neck (a craving for ice cream).

2 Physical hunger is felt below the neck (growling stomach), while emotional hunger is felt above the neck (a craving for ice cream).

3 When only a certain food like pizza or chocolate will meet your need, your 'hunger' is born of emotion. When your body requires fuel, you're more open to other food options.

4 Emotional hunger wants to be satisfied instantly. Physical hunger can wait.

5 Emotional hunger leaves guilt in its wake. Physical hunger doesn't.

Recognising these signals can help you distinguish an emotional need for food from a physical one.

The next time a craving strikes, try this: ignore the signals coming from the neck up.

Are you physically hungry? Ask yourself what you're feeling emotionally and how you can meet these mental (versus physical) needs.

The real cure for emotional eating is developing coping strategies, not just seeking out distractions.

Here's an example: when you're sad and craving ice cream, cleaning out your cupboards may direct you away from the freezer, but it won't get rid of that melancholy feeling.

Too often, we fail to take the important steps of first identifying the emotions we're experiencing and, second, feeling them.

If you're feeling sad, watch a tearjerker instead and allow yourself to cry. Or phone a friend who's good at listening. Addressing the emotion is the best way to release yourself from the desire to eat.

THE FLAT TUMMY RULES

1 Eat four meals a day (including one smoothie). Little and often helps your body to digest food more easily - avoiding bloating. The foods recommended on this programme have been specifically chosen for their anti-bloat qualities.

2 Take a quick five-minute after-meal walk. Moving your body helps release air trapped in your gastrointestinal tract.

3 Drink two litres of Sassy Water daily. Devised by nutrition director Cynthia Sassy, the ingredients in her water aren't just for flavour: the ginger will help to calm and soothe your GI tract. You can also drink 100 per cent pure herbal teas such as camomile.

SASSY WATER

• 2 litres/3½ pints water
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
• 12 mint leaves
  

Combine all ingredients in a large jug, chill in the refrigerator and let the flavours blend overnight.

4 Eat slowly. Often, when you eat quickly, you take in large gulps of air which gets trapped in your digestive system and causes bloating.

Extracted from The Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello, published by Macmillan on January 9 at £12.99. © Liz Vaccariello 2009. To order a copy (p&p free), call 0845 155 0720.

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Source:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1102778/Part-How-flat-tummy-days.html

AFI's Hunter Burgan NOT Engaged

Despite reports to the contrary, AFI bassist Hunter Burgan is not engaged to actress and She & Him frontwoman Zooey Deschanel.



In Touch Weekly ran the following story on Dec. 29 morning but it looks like someone didn't fact check:

Yes Man actress Zooey Deschanel, 28, and musician Hunter Burgan are engaged! According to a source, Zooey said yes over the weekend of December 20. The couple has been together for nearly a year and a friend of the stars confides, “she is so excited.”

When we went back to see the original link, someone had changed "Hunter Burgan" to "Ben Gibbard." WTF? Sure, we heard rumors that Deschanel was dating the Death Cab For Cutie singer, but who knows. That said, we can officially confirm via Bergen's Facebook that he is not about derail AFI recording in order to to plan a wedding. Whew!



Who makes the cuter couple, though? Zooey Deschanel + Hunter Burgan or Zooey Deschanel + Ben Gibbard?

Source:
http://www.buzznet.com/musicnews/afis-hunter-burgan-not-engaged-j3558841/

ufc 92 results

Pre-event thoughts

Good evening fight fans and welcome to the Detroit Free Press’ live blog of UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008.

Tonight’s card is perhaps the most anticipated of the year, featuring two title fights and a third grudge match between MMA superstars Wanderlei Silva and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

In one of the title fights, Michigan State University’s own former wrestling star Rashad Evans will go for the light heavyweight crown against defending champion Forrest Griffin.

The other title fight features Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira against Frank Mir for the interim heavyweight title and the right to fight Brock Lesnar for the true heavyweight title down the line.

Yes, the UFC has come a long way from the old days of no gloves, hair pulling, and brutal elimination tournaments with no time limits.

It is now a legitimate sport and one that has proven to be safer than boxing with a bright future ahead of it.

The first fight is between heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Mustapha Al-Turk.

Cheick Kongo vs. Mustapha Al-Turk

The Frenchman Kongo is…well, he basically looks like some kind of cyborg, and he fights like one, too. But his ground game is suspect and Al-Turk, a British submission specialist who was born in Beirut, Lebanon, will test him there.

Al-Turk is rocked by a straight punch from Kongo and beckons Kongo to the ground with him but he refuses to follow.

He comes in and clinches while Kongo gets in some solid shots.

An inadvertent Al-Turk knee catches Kongo in the, ahem, nether regions, and the fight is stopped as Kongo winces in pain. This is an unfortunate side effect of close quarters combat but usually fighters manage to walk it off. Kongo doesn’t seem to be recovering too well, however.

Al-Turk misses haymaker and shoots in for a single leg takedown. He stays with it and tries to dig out the leg.

After some more tussling, Kongo returns the favor and throws a knee that lands in the groin area of Al-Turk.

“I hope that was an accident,” says referee Steve Mazzagatti.

Kongo has some history in this department, as he got in some questionable low blows against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in their past fight.

Al-Turk continues and Kongo lands a straight shot and then bails to ground.

Kongo leans in and gets into Al-Turk’s guard before raining a flurry of elbows.

He follows it up with hammer fists and opens up big cut above the right eye of Al-Turk. Al-Turk can’t defend himself, and Mazzagatti calls the fight at 4:37 of the first round.

A solid, workmanlike performance by Kongo in this one as he inches closer to a future title shot.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

This is the fight everyone’s been waiting for, even though there isn’t a title on the line. This fight, between two former PRIDE Fighting legends (Japan’s now-defunct answer to the UFC) is for, well, pride.

The UFC is full of manufactured drama that borders on the level of WWE-style hype at times, but there is a strong, healthy dislike between these two light heavyweights.

Silva won both of their earlier fights but Jackson is a vastly improved fighter since their last bout in 2004. Silva is just 5-5 in his last ten fights but he still is one of the most feared fighters in the world.

Both fighters look calm and businesslike tonight, and this has the potential to be one of the best fights in UFC history, at least the UFC hopes so in order to boost future DVD sales. Too bad this one will only be three rounds maximum.

Wanderlei wiggles the gloves like usual, the staredown goes off without a hitch, and the atmosphere is now officially electric.

No glove touching in this one and Rampage leads with a massive haymaker that maybe grazes Silva a bit.

Silva lands one of his trademark rapid-fire, not-so-technical punch combos that still manage to be quite effective yet again.

Silva has landed three leg kicks thus far and Jackson will need to check them or he might suffer the same fate he did against Forrest Griffin.

Silva throws in a right leg kick that was the most brutal of the bunch so far.

Rampage throws another big blow and knocks Silva back.

Jackson then lands a solid jab.

Silva comes back with a jab as does Jackson.

Jackson ducks and uncorks a massive, lightning-fast left hook that lands square on the left side of Silva’s chin, and the Brazilian crumples straight to the mat before Jackson rushes in and lands a three quick punches on his downed opponent just to be on the safe side.

The fight doctors rush in and this one is “allllllllllllll ovvvverr!” as announcer Mike Goldberg exclaims. Jackson finally has his revenge and a brutal highlight-reel knockout to match the ones Silva gave him in 2003 and 2004.

“One punch put him completely to sleep,” says color analyst Joe Rogan.

“Last time I fought him it wasn’t right,” says Jackson. “I came to England with the Wolf’s Lair (his new training camp), got my wolf on, and now it’s right. Rampage is back!”

A title shot should be coming soon, perhaps against the winner of Evans-Griffin.

The fight ended at 3:21 of the first round, and Silva appears to be okay.

Other Results at UFC 92

Pat Berry defeated Dan Evenson at 2:36 of the first round after a knee injury from low kicks forced Evenson to quit.

Brad Blackburn defeated Ryo Chonan by a score of 29-28 on all judges’ cards.

Matt Hamill defeated Reese Andy at 2:19 of round two by TKO after taking Andy’s back and raining punches.

Antoni Hardonk defeated Mike Wessel by TKO after gaining full mount and landing multiple punches.

Yushin Okami defeated Dean Lister by a score of 30-27 on all judges’ scorecards.

Mike Massenzio vs. C.B. Dollaway

Two former Division I wrestlers who faced each other in college (with Dollaway, the former Ultimate Fighter runner-up, coming out on top) will go at it in this middleweight bout.

Dollaway lands a solid right body kick. Massenzio comes in and Dollaway wraps his hands around him, landing some knees before whiffing and falling to the mat.

Dollaway gets rocked by a right and stumbles around looking to get his bearings.

Massenzio takes advantage and gets a fairly deep guillotine as Dollaway almost appears to tap. Dollaway manages to work his way out, however. He works his way to the top position and Massenzio pulls guard.

Dollaway passes guard and takes side control while going for a mount. He gets it and works his way forward before going for elbows.

Massenzio tries to roll out and gets flattened out, and now he’s in deep trouble.

Dollaway peppers him with looping punches that look almost casual, as he knows he has this fight locked up. Massenzio can’t defend himself while laying face down on the mat.

“The Doberman” takes this one at 3:01 in the first round, showing marked improvement in the ground game after compared with his back-to-back losses on The Ultimate Fighter to Amir Sadollah by arm-bar.

Dollaway appears to have a lot of potential but he’ll need to clean up a few aspects of his game before he can become a serious contender.

Interim Heavyweight Title Bout: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira

Current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar makes an appearance and tells Goldberg and Rogan he’s rooting for Mir to win the interim title so he can have a rematch with the man who gave him his only UFC loss.

Nogueira is the favorite in this match but fortunes cans shift quickly in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and both fighters are among the elite grapplers in the world with the ability to win by submission in the blink of an eye.

The interim belt is up for grabs because Nogueira holds it after beating Tim Sylvia in a period during which the champion at the time, Randy Couture, was in a contract dispute with the UFC.

Now, the belt will be unified as the winner of tonight’s bout will take on Lesnar at a future date.

Mir comes out to “Hate Me Now” by Nas looking focused and Nogueira comes out to “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones, looking relaxed as usual.

Both fighters have overcome tremendous odds to become two of the best fighters in the world. Mir was hit by a car at 50 mph on his motorcycle in 2004 and suffered a badly broken leg while Nogeuira was run over by a truck as a child and suffered damage to his lungs and liver.

Mir comes out fighting southpaw after the fighters and the former Ultimate Fighter TV show coaches refuse to touch gloves.

Mir throws a head kick that is checked by Nogueira.

He then lands a straight right and goes in for the takedown.

Nogueira lands a solid punch from his back.

Mir walks away from Nogueira as he lays on his back and tries to turn the fight into a ground war as predicted. Mir wants to keep this fight standing against Nogueira, who trains boxing with the Cuban national team.

Mir looks much quicker than in the past and he is the more aggressive of the two fighters. He’s also in perhaps the best shape of his career and he’s putting together solid punch and kick combinations.

Mir sneaks in a right uppercut that just catches Nogueira a bit.

Nogueira is rocked and goes down before inviting Mir to the ground and successfully defending Mir’s punches.

Mir lands another right uppercut off of a combination and adds a knee in a clinch.

Nogeuria lands a straight right jab but he doesn’t look very energetic tonight.

At the end of the first round, Mir rocks Nogueira with a big right hand.

“That is the definition of a 10-8 round right there,” says Goldberg. Nogeuira appears to be sleepwalking through this one.

Round two

Mir continues to throw a dizzying array of combinations, pushing the pace of the fight despite not landing many of them.

Mir ducks and lands a powerful left hook, then comes back with an even more devastating left hook to knock down Nogueira. He pounces on him and the punches come fast and furious. Nogueira stumbles to his feet, surprised that he has finally been knocked out for the first time in his legendary career. It appears as if the attrition of fighting for so many years has caught to Nogueira much like what the crowd saw from Wanderlei Silva earlier tonight.

Mir points at Lesnar in the crowd and it appears as if the UFC now has itself a big-time rematch to peddle. Mir looked better than ever before in this fight, his confidence finally restored from the devastating broken leg injury.

“If I was a betting man, I wasn’t on Mir’s side tonight,” says the emotional Mir.

Mir predicts that Lesnar won’t get out of the first round in their rematch, and Lesnar flashes a sly grin to the camera.

The Mir win came 1:54 in the second round for those scoring at home.

Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin

The former Spartan Evans, winner of The Ultimate Fighter TV show’s second season, will take on Griffin, winner of the show’s first season, for right to be called the Light Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Some interesting fight stats: Griffin has landed 72% of his leg kicks in his career while Evans’ wrestling skills have allowed him to succeed on 60% of his takedown attempts.

Evans has also never attempted a submission in his career, specializing in the ground-and-pound game and boxing.

Evans does a bear crawl into the octagon™ (for those of you planning to build one in your backyards, beware that the term is trademarked), a nod to his wrestling roots. “Sugar” looks relaxed as he does a little dance on the mat.

Griffin, perhaps the hairiest (and toughest?) man in the UFC, looks businesslike as usual.

Evans throws a lunging punch and ducks in. He’s very cautious as usual as he backs out, and Griffin throws a sweeping high kick that looks impressive but misses.

Evans narrowly misses on what could have been a replay of his knockout over Chuck Liddell.

Griffin has landed a couple of solid leg kicks, his specialty.

Evans responds with a swift leg kick of his own. He dodges a shot and lands a lunging right on Griffin.

Griffin lands a lunging left hand and both fighters look aggressive and confident.

If Evans can get his timing down, he might be able to land a knockout shot. He’s teeing it up, that’s for sure.

Griffin lands another leg kick but Evans lands one in response.

Griffin lands yet another leg kick that staggers Rashad much like what Griffin did to Jackson.

There’s about a minute left in the first round and this one is pretty even so far.

Rashad throws a jab-hook combo as the second part connects. Time is running down in the round as Griffin goes for another leg kick that doesn’t quite have the same impact as the previous ones.

Evans has checked several high kicks in this fight. Thus far, this fight has been a purist’s dream and an even match.

ROUND 2

Evans loses track of his location as he backs up and accidentally runs into the cage before slipping but Griffin is too far away to take advantage.

Evans catches Griffin with a close jab and Griffin blocks another big one a bit later.

Forrest lands a solid right and adds a leg kick. Forrest is looking quicker than ever in this one and they’re both swinging for the fences now.

Rashad backs up a bit, stares at Griffin, and flashes a big smile.

But Griffin looks a bit stronger right now and is winning on points in this round. Perhaps Evans needs to fall back on his wrestling skills to change the momentum a bit in this one.

Evans lands a solid, hard right.

The two fighters touch gloves after an inadvertent low blow to Griffin.

Evans lands another solid right as Griffin goes for a huge head kick that is again checked.

Evans continues to put his faith in his boxing skills. He checks a low leg kick from Griffin and then lets his guard down before getting drilled with a right in the face to end the round. The fight docs are going to work on a small cut in above Evans’ left eye.

ROUND 3

Griffin continues to throw a barrage of leg kicks.

But Griffin throws one too many and Rashad catches a kick before blasting Griffin with the vaunted “Superman” punch.

He pounces and goes all out in an effort to finish off Griffin but Forrest manages to keep him at bay after eating some solid punches.

Evans is looking to pass guard as the crowd chants “Forrest! Forrest!”

Perhaps we will finally see whether or not Evans’ jiu-jitsu game is championship level tonight.

Griffin continues to throw a barrage of leg kicks.

But Griffin throws one too many and Rashad catches a kick before blasting Griffin with the vaunted “Superman” punch.

He pounces and goes all out in an effort to finish off Griffin but Forrest manages to keep him at bay after eating some solid punches.

Evans is looking to pass guard as the crowd chants “Forrest! Forrest!”

Perhaps we will finally see whether or not Evans’ jiu-jitsu game is championship level tonight.

Griffin appears to be a bit tired but he’s working several submission attempts.

Evans is undaunted and he wades in further. Evans postures up and gets behind his punches full force, landing right after right as Griffin’s head bounces off the mat.

The referee has no choice but stop the action as Griffin appears to tap, and with that, former Michigan State Spartan Rashad Evans is your new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

“How does that sound?” asks Joe Rogan.

“It sounds real good, man,” replies Evans. “It was a great fight and it took a while for me to get warmed up, but I got there.”

It appears as if no one will underestimate Evans, a slight underdog coming into the fight, again, at least not in the near future. Evans moves to a nearly unprecedented 18-0-1 in his MMA career.

Evans was asked about his thoughts as he attempted to finish the downed Griffin.

“He kept smiling, so I didn’t know if he was hurt or not. They kept letting me hit him so I just said ‘Alright.’”

The soft-spoken Evans is gracious in victory and wishes his mom a happy birthday.

Griffin seems okay as he pops up and stands in for an interview on camera about the last moments of the fight.

“I was flailing, no tapping done at that point, it was just his punches giving my body motion,” says Griffin with his typical brand of self-deprecating humor.

“I remember waking up like ‘It’s okay, Forrest, then I was like yep, it kind of sucks, actually.”

The time of Evans’ win was 2:46 in the third round.

UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 Final Thoughts

Upset of the Night-Frank Mir over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Many thought a Nogueira win was a foregone conclusion but Nogueira suddenly looked about ten years older in this fight and Mir came out in the best shape of his life.

Now Nogueira has to hope he doesn’t go the way of a battered NFL running back, as he has the potential to fall right off the map. It will be interesting to see if he can come back and make another run at the heavyweight title or if he will begin to fade away.

Fight of the Night-Evans’ win over Griffin. This fight didn’t receive nearly the attention that the Wanderlei Silva-Quinton Jackson fight did going in despite being a title fight, in part because many fans thought that Evans and Griffin weren’t title-worthy.

But both fighters looked remarkably quick, confident, and well-prepared in what could be called one of the best UFC fights of all-time when people look back on it in a year or so. Griffin’s kicks are now almost Lyoto Machida-quality while Evans has perhaps the quickest hands in the sport.

Knockout of the Night: Jackson’s devastating left hook on Silva. It wasn’t quite as brutal as the knees Silva knocked Jackson out with in their first two fights but it probably felt just as sweet for Jackson.

Best Possible Future Match-up as a Result of UFC 92: Lesnar-Mir II will be intriguing to say the least, especially considering how good Mir looked.

But a possible Rashad Evans-Quinton Jackson fight could be an absolute classic and a showcase for perhaps the two quickest fighters and best boxers in the UFC. It would be a landmark fight,showing off the evolution of the elite athletes that now populate what just might be the fastest-growing sport in the world.

And with that, it’s time to sign off for the night. The Detroit Lions may be farther away from a Super Bowl Title than any franchise in NFL history, but at least one title is coming back to Michigan thanks to Evans, who should receive a hero’s welcome in East Lansing.

Source:

http://www.freep.com/article/20081227/SPORTS18/81227055/?imw=Y

Stolen 850-pound emerald recovered December 27, 2008

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

850-pound emerald recovered

The Sheriff's Department has recovered a stolen 850-pound emerald worth an estimated $370 million, officials said Friday.

The stone, known as the Bahia Emerald, was unearthed in Brazil and is believed to be the second-largest stone of its kind, according to the Sheriff's Department. The gem, once auctioned on EBay, has also been the focus of numerous lawsuits.

The gem was stolen from a secured vault in South El Monte in September and later warehoused in Las Vegas, said Lt. Thomas Grubb of the Major Crimes Bureau.

"The way it was stolen was through falsification of paperwork," Grubb said. "They flimflammed some papers and were able to get it released from the vault."

The investigation led sheriff's officials to Idaho and Las Vegas. When the suspects learned that deputies were hot on their trail, they agreed to hand over the gem. On Dec. 19, sheriff's investigators arrived in Las Vegas with a court order and took possession of the stone. No arrests were made.

The emerald has since been returned to L.A. County and will remain in the custody of the Sheriff's Department until ownership is resolved.

"A judge is going to have to rule on who the rightful owner is," Grubb said.

"We got one side telling us it belongs to them, and another side saying no, it belongs to us."

-- Monte Morin OAKLAND

Remains are missing student's

Authorities say the human remains found behind a city high school last month are those of an 18-year-old former student.

The remains of Johnikka Jackson were found near a crude shelter made of wood and sheets in a canyon behind Skyline High School. Some students found the bones Nov. 7 and took them to the principal's office.

It is still unclear how Jackson died. Police say they are still trying to determine if foul play was involved.

Jackson's father, John Jackson of San Francisco, said he filed a missing person's report after not hearing from her over the summer.

The teen was living with an aunt while attending Skyline but left before graduation and had been taking classes at Laney College.

-- associated press SACRAMENTO

Gov., lawmakers find no accord

Hopes by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers that they would strike a budget deal by week's end fizzled Friday, with both sides saying they will try again next week.

They are trying to agree on the details of a tax-and-cut package worth $18 billion that is needed to close a growing gap between state spending and revenue.

Republican lawmakers have been left out of the discussions because they refuse to sign on to any deal that includes a tax increase. Democrats and Schwarzenegger say the size of the deficit is so large that spending cuts alone will not be enough.

California's deficit is projected to hit $42 billion over the next 18 months.

-- associated press FRESNO

Treatment center may be closed

Fresno County leaders are set to meet next month to consider closing the region's only 24-hour psychiatric treatment center.

County health officials say the closure would save the county $2.5 million as its mental health department faces a budget shortfall.

With no similar urgent care centers in neighboring counties, family members of the mentally ill say the closure would leave them with few options. They say the burden would shift to police and hospital emergency room staff, who lack adequate training for psychiatric emergencies.

The center would be replaced by a mobile crisis team, a new 16-bed inpatient unit and a detoxification program for substance abusers.

The county Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the closure in January.

-- associated press

Source:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-briefs27-2008dec27,0,1916544.story